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With one of Africa’s powerhouses, Kenya, encountering challenges in the promotion of peace, especially among its diverse cultural and ethnic people as witnessed in the aftermath of the 2007 elections, the KALYA initiative is a panacea towards the promotion of food security and peace.
Kalya M.D who works for Kabarak University in Kenya as a French Lecturer and was recruited by Mr. Ntiokam Divine, the Founder and Executive Director of Climate, Smart Agriculture Youth Network (GCSAYN) Focal as the Point Lead in his country has always had a passion to come up with a start-up for peace initiative here at Kenya.
“The, name of the start-up for peace initiative is known as KALYA, Initiative for Research in Africa. Why, KALYA? That’s Interesting. KALYA is a cultural name meaning peace. Through the work I do in promoting climate-smart agriculture I, will be able to align the peace initiative for research purposes.,” he told Spiked Online Media.
Asked about what motivated him, he said that during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, he met Abuti Nathan (Balozi, Wa Amani), the founder of Abalibao Peace Initiative (A.P.I.CO).
“I, have always loved the way he mobilizes the cultural people of Kenya to whom he preaches and teaches. He meets the people using his bicycle. He normally rides it across entire Kenya teaching them about the importance of peace.
“Apart, from that, I am also working for RAJeC of Côte d’Ivoire as a local coordinator for Kenya representing the African Network of Young Researchers,” he said.
The two men agreed to collaborate on the peace initiative in Kenya.
“It will be more welcome if we get support from the local stakeholders and partners at the global level such as the United Nations, the African Union, the Global Peace Foundation, and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) just to mention a few.
“During the GCSAYN’s virtual meeting on 18 August 2022, I was more than happy to meet Sir. Ntiokam Divine, Jana Stankova of FAO, Chido Cleopatra Mpemba, the AU Youth Envoy, Yasmi Yurd, the Deputy Regional Representative for Africa FAO, Margarita Astralaga, the independent Consultant and Special Advisor to GCSAYN Executive Director, Joseph Doway, the Business Developer Founder of Caribbean Farmers without Borders, students, academicians, and farmers across the world among other distinguished guests. “
The KALYA Initiative for Research in Africa looks forward to collaborating with Abalibao Peace Initiative Commission (A.P.I.CO). They local forward to recruiting local coordinators, legal services providers, and youth local mobilizers for each county of Kenya.